


There is Something Short and Sweet Between Us

by seriousoncer



Category: Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (TV 2018)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Non-Magical, Awkward Flirting, F/F, Flirting, Fluff and Humor, Happy accidents, Mary Wardwell is a flustered mess, Milkshake, Short & Sweet, Soft Mary Wardwell | Madam Satan | Lilith/Zelda Spellman, Spellwell - Freeform, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Zelda Spellman Needs A Hug, Zelda Spellman is Bad at Feelings, but so is Zelda Spellman, just read the fic and it'll make sense, you already know i have no idea how to tag
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-11
Updated: 2021-01-11
Packaged: 2021-03-18 10:35:47
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,783
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28616691
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/seriousoncer/pseuds/seriousoncer
Summary: “Would you care to join me?”When she glanced up, Mary’s eyes were on her, intently regarding Zelda. Though, not in the panicky way she normally would, either. This look was curious and rather… soft.Then, Mary smiled. “I’d love to.”Or, Zelda slips into the wrong booth at Dr. Cerberus's. AU (Non-Magical).
Relationships: Zelda Spellman & Mary Wardwell | Madam Satan | Lilith, Zelda Spellman/Mary Wardwell | Madam Satan | Lilith
Comments: 21
Kudos: 62





	There is Something Short and Sweet Between Us

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! This is a cute little one-shot I wrote very hastily as it suddenly popped up in my head. I hope you enjoy it :))
> 
> Thank you so much to @1TheArtOfLosing1 for proofreading and giving feedback <333

Zelda couldn’t believe her sister. She had been sitting alone in the diner booth for over forty minutes, pretending to be reading the horrid comic books spread out on the table. They were supposed to be meeting for lunch, or as Hilda called it, _bonding_ – Hilda had all but forced her to join – and now, she had the audacity to stand her up.

Zelda was left staring at a plate full of fries and a milkshake with no other choice but to start eating them.

All by herself.

Enraged, Zelda pulled out her phone from her pocket and sent Hilda a _friendly_ text.

_I’m going to strangle you, Hildegarde._

Zelda was surprised that she didn’t have to wait too long for an answer. Her phone vibrated only seconds later.

**_Sorry, darling. Something came up at  
the mortuary. Will be there ASAP _ **

Huffing, Zelda harshly put her phone down, leaned back against the booth and crossed her arms petulantly. She wasn’t even going to give her sister the satisfaction of an answer.

“Did you want to order something else?” A sudden voice appeared, making Zelda nearly jump out of her skin and clutch her pearls. Beside her was Dr. Cerberus, the owner of the quaint establishment Zelda found herself in.

The man was clearly embarrassed, having noticed Zelda’s reaction to his presence. “ _Sorry_.”

The glare Zelda shot his way could definitely make demons cry.

“ _No_ ,” Zelda answered haughtily contemplating him with great distaste. “However, I would like to use the washroom.”

“ _Of_ \- Of course, Miss Spellman,” he dutifully responded, as he stepped to the side and pointed his hand towards the back of the room, making his cape flutter. “Right through that door over there.”

Gathering her purse and phone, Zelda quickly stood up and rudely brushed past the man. “ _Thank you_.”

You see, Zelda Spellman had this way of saying ‘thank you’, which sounded more like ‘go and die’. It truly was a blessing, in her opinion.

The sweaty man that was left watching her go – not so much.

Her heels clicked against cold linoleum, the punitive sound sending shivers down her spine.

Zelda liked to pretend she had no clue as to why she behaved so rudely toward the man who was soon to be her brother-in-law. She would never admit it, but deep down she _knew_ it had something to do with the fact that it felt like he was stealing Hilda from her.

It was petulant and selfish - she knew that much. Still, her stomach dropped at the thought of Hilda ever leaving her. Or forgetting her.

As she entered the washroom, Zelda caught a glimpse of her reflection in the mirror above the sink.

The first thing she noticed was auburn curls that had somewhat lost their bounce due to the harsh winds howling outside. She clumsily drew her fingers through her hair, in order to try and salvage some of them.

Tired, dull eyes were staring back at her. It made Zelda wonder exactly when they had lost their sparkle. Stepping closer, she took note of freckles that had occurred due to the unforgiving sunlight she had been exposed to as she tended Hilda’s garden.

As she continued to scan her appearance, Zelda perceived a sliver of disappointment teetering in green eyes and shook her head as she realized the stupidity of it all.

The utter stupidity of constantly trying to please _everyone_ , including herself, but never really succeeding.

Zelda locked eyes with her reflection, taking a deep and shaky breath, she managed to force a smile as she slowly slipped her mask back on.

A mask that was easily shattered with one look in the mirror.

She uncomfortably cleared her throat and smoothed down invisible wrinkles on her dress and began her travel back to the lonesome booth.

When she reached it, she all but threw her purse down and she slid onto her seat with as much grace she could possibly muster.

A few moments later, her phone buzzed in her pocket.

**_I’m so sorry, Zelds. I have to reschedule! I’ll_ **

**_make it up to you, I promise. You could_ **

**_always eat with Dr. Cee?_ **

_Over her dead body_. Zelda put her phone down and let out an exasperated sigh. Then, she scoffed incredulously before snagging the milkshake in front of her, which she had ordered for Hilda - she wasn’t about to let it go to waste.

It was a perfectly good milkshake. Though, she was certain she had specifically ordered strawberry, seeing as it was her sister’s favorite. This one had a strong, sugary vanilla taste. Frowning, Zelda put the straw between her lips once more, just to make sure.

“ _Uh_ , excu-excuse me, Miss Spellman?”

Zelda froze in her movements at the familiar, timid voice. Letting go of the straw, she turned toward the intruding sound.

“ _Yes_ , Miss Wardwell?”

The brunette was wringing her hands together, obviously uncomfortable with having disturbed Zelda. The peculiar schoolmarm was wearing a burgundy sweater with a gorgeous brooch pinned beneath her left shoulder, and a plaid skirt that reached just below her knees - the perfect picture of modesty.

“I might be wrong,” she began nervously, which made Zelda roll her eyes. “But I believe you’re in my booth.”

Then, Zelda closed her eyes in unadulterated mortification as she quickly realized Miss Wardwell was absolutely right. Immediately, Zelda rushed to get out of the booth, but stopped as she felt a warm and careful hand on her shoulder.

“Oh, you don’t have to leave,” Miss Wardwell hurriedly stated, immediately removing her hand at the look she received from Zelda. “You look so comfortable. I didn’t mean to interrupt you,” she continued and coyly tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

Zelda merely blinked at her.

“I just need my coat, if you please.”

Turning her head in the direction the brunette pointed, Zelda instantly spotted a neatly folded jacket in the corner of the booth.

_How in the world hadn’t she noticed that?_

Clearing her throat, Zelda reached over for the coat and daintily handed it over to the teacher who nodded gratefully. “Thank you, Miss Spellman.”

As their fingers accidentally grazed against each other, Zelda inhaled sharply. The other woman seemed to have a similar reaction to the touch as her cheeks flushed to a pretty crimson shade.

“No worries, Miss Wardwell.”

“Oh, _please_ ,” she answered as a self-conscious grin appeared. “Do call me Mary.”

Zelda twitched her lip in return.

She then noticed that they hadn’t let go of the coat yet, both women still holding on tight. Zelda was the first one to reluctantly let go as she gently shook her head.

_Now_ , Zelda had two options.

The first one – flee the scene. She could easily grab her belongings and sprint out of the establishment as if nothing had happened.

But somehow, that didn’t feel alluring. _At all_.

The second one - _well_.

“ _Mary_ ,” Zelda carefully began, fascinated by how easily the name had slipped off of her tongue.

The woman in question turned around at her name and lifted her eyebrow. “Yes?”

“Would you care to join me?”

When she glanced up, Mary’s eyes were on her, intently regarding Zelda. Though, not in the panicky way she normally would, either. This look was curious and rather… _soft_. 

Then, Mary smiled. “I’d love to.”

The smile caused an unexplainable warmth to spread from Zelda’s stomach, all the way out through every limb.

Mary slid into the seat opposite of her and placed her jacket back down. Then, she locked eyes with Zelda. “ _So_ ,” Mary grinned. “Was it any good?”

Zelda frowned. “Pardon?”

Blue eyes glanced at the glass in front of them as a knowing smirk popped up on Mary’s face. “My milkshake.”

Hot embarrassment shot to Zelda’s cheeks. “I didn’t _kno_ —”

To Zelda’s astonishment, Mary threw her head back in laughter as she held up her hands, and the sound of it made butterflies flutter in her stomach. “I’m only teasing.”

Still, Zelda couldn’t help but feel a little offended. “Very funny,” she grumbled petulantly.

Mary seemed to notice the sudden shift in Zelda’s mood, and carefully pushed the treat toward the auburn-haired woman. “It’s all yours,” she offered kindly.

Accepting the peace offering, Zelda reluctantly reached out to grab it. “Thank you,” she murmured under her breath.

Mary fixedly observed her every move before tearing her gaze away to the comic books spread out in front of them.

“Do you enjoy reading these?” Mary inquired as she mindlessly flipped through one of them, while she used one hand to gently push her glasses up the bridge of her nose.

Zelda waved her hand dismissively. “ _God_ , no.”

“No?” Mary repeated with humor in her voice and put the comic back down. Then, she softly added, “What _do_ you like to read then?”

The pure interest and kindness in Mary’s question _almost_ made Zelda’s eyes sting. It had been a while since anyone had shown true interest in her and what she enjoyed, and Zelda hated to admit it made her feel a little emotional.

“I’m particularly fond of the classics,” Zelda started and cleared her throat. “Anything by Emily Brontë, really.”

“ _He’s more myself than I am_.” Zelda’s head snapped up at Mary’s tender voice. “ _Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same_.”

Mary smiled at Zelda’s stunned expression. “It’s from—”

“ _Wuthering Heights_ ,” Zelda gently interrupted. It was her favorite book. For whatever reason, Mary being able to recite the book by heart made her stomach coil.

“Yes,” Mary sighed, almost wistfully. “It’s one of my favorites.”

Zelda was _mildly_ distressed.

The conversation was quickly turning into something _a little_ more intimate than what Zelda had initially bargained for.

Zelda was in _way_ over her head. She needed to steer the exchange in an entirely different direction.

“Sabrina doesn’t share my enthusiasm though,” Zelda said while squeezing her fingernails into her palm underneath the table.

Mary’s expression faltered somewhat, before a polite smile made its way onto her face. “No, it doesn’t seem that way.”

There was a pause. It wasn’t _awkward_ per se, but it wasn’t exactly comfortable either.

“Remind me,” Mary said as she plopped a french fry in her mouth. “What do you do for a living?”

“I run a mortuary with my sister and nephew.”

At that, Mary stopped chewing, eyes growing impossibly wide. Oh, Zelda couldn’t help but smirk at the comedic reaction.

“How long how you been—” there was a gap where Mary _obviously_ pondered which words to choose next. “In that line of work?”

Zelda grinned at her considerate phrasing. “ _Hm_. Must be around 35 years by now.”

Mary blinked at her, as if snapping out of some sort of heavy trance. “ _Wow_.”

“And you?” Zelda casually asked as she finished taking a sip of her milkshake. “How long have you been a teacher?”

Mary’s entire face lit up at the question. “Oh, 32 years this spring.”

Zelda couldn’t help but beam back at her. “And I assume you enjoy it?”

“Very much so.”

Overall, the conversation is _pleasant_. They easily filled the small moments of silence with enjoyable small talk – which, Zelda was surprised to find wasn’t as dull as usual. It seemed as though Mary was having a good time as well, seeing as she hadn’t stopped smiling, not even once.

It felt easy with Mary. She didn’t have to _pretend_ to be somebody else, or even try to impress. Zelda felt as though she could breathe properly and let herself relax a little. And it felt _good_.

“Can you pass me the salt, please?” Mary suddenly requested and gestured to the saltshaker by the tissue holder.

Zelda did so without question, but as she handed it over, her fingers trailed over Mary’s open palm. At the touch, Mary’s eyes shot up and bore into Zelda’s with an intense stare - one that caused Zelda’s mouth to go dry.

It seemed as though Mary had forgotten about the saltshaker in her hand, as she almost shook _herself_ before salting her fries.

“I am in desperate need of a cigarette,” Zelda said apropos nothing as Mary finished up her food. Mary wiped her hands on a tissue paper and shoved her food away.

“I’ll join you,” she answered at once, already pulling out her wallet to pay for her meal.

Zelda gaped at her as she watched Mary put down way more money than required. “You smoke?”

Mary chuckled. “No.”

She scribbled _something_ down on the bill, and Zelda quickly realized Mary was paying for both of them. Horrified, Zelda also reached for her wallet. “Oh no, I’ll pay—”

A warm hand atop of her own stopped Zelda dead in her tracks. As she glanced up, Mary was looking at her earnestly. “I insist.”

Slowly, Zelda slid her wallet back into her purse and Mary let go of her, _now_ , burning hand. “Alright. Thank you,” Zelda all but whispered.

“You’re welcome,” Mary sincerely replied, as she shyly tucked that very same loose strand of hair behind her ear. The uncertainty in Mary’s movements melted away as Zelda smiled at her.

“Remember your coat,” Zelda gently reminded her as they began to get up. Mary turned on her heel and almost tripped in her haste to get it. Zelda stared with a sappy grin on her face and couldn’t help but find _everything_ Mary did utterly endearing.

* * *

The wind had calmed down significantly, but the coldness of the brutal weather was still lingering in the air, causing Mary to wrap her coat firmly around herself.

“Are you sure you don’t want one?” Zelda said as she held out a cigarette for Mary to take.

Mary shook her head. “Oh, I can’t. Nicotine makes me nauseous.”

“ _Hm_ ,” Zelda hummed as she took a long drag. “Too bad.”

Mary’s lips parted slightly as she observed Zelda exhale smoke through her nose. The look did not go unnoticed by Zelda.

She visibly inhaled as Zelda turned toward her, a hand settling just above her elbow. “Thank you so much for lunch. I truly appreciate it.”

“Oh, it was my pleasure, _really_.” Mary all but squeaked as the gloved hand brushed down her arm.

The unforgiving chill seemed to take its toll on Mary’s delicate fingers. So, she brought them up to her lips and blew hot air against them, and rubbed them together for warmth.

“Are you cold, Mary?” Zelda inquired as she threw the cigarette but to the ground and crushed it underneath the bottom of her high heel.

Mary chuckled through a shudder. “Only a little.”

For the third time that afternoon, Zelda’s phone buzzed against her hip. Groaning, she drew it out and noticed she had one notification with an annoying name on it.

**_Where are you? Need your help_ **

Rolling her eyes, she began to type.

_Still at Dr. Cerberus’s. I’ll be there in a minute._

“ _Sorry_ ,” Zelda muttered to a smiling Mary, who still appeared to be very cold.

“It’s alright.”

Then, Zelda pulled her gloves off of her hands and handed them to Mary. The teacher looked highly confused at the gesture. “What are you doing?”

Zelda tenderly grabbed ahold of soft, but _freezing_ hands, and gently placed her gloves in Mary’s palms. “Your hands are freezing, Mary.”

Her mouth fell agape as she tried to give them back. “Oh, I can’t take th—”

Zelda merely smirked and held up her hands. “I insist.”

Reluctantly, Mary nodded gratefully before tentatively starting to slide them on. “Using my own words against me.”

Zelda let out a small laugh at Mary’s little pout, which made Mary chuckle as well. After a moment of just enjoying each other’s presence, a sobering feeling fell over Zelda as she remembered she had to leave. “Sadly, I have to get going.”

Mary scuffed her feet awkwardly against the pavement. “Alright.”

Then, Mary started to pinch the fingers of the gloves in order to take them off.

“Oh no, keep them.”

Mary gazed at the gloves covering her hands, disbelievingly. “I couldn’t possib—”

Her sentence was cut short as soft lips suddenly pressed against her cheek. The touch was barely there, but it caused Mary to stop breathing altogether. When Zelda pulled back, there was a noticeable flush spreading across Mary’s face as she stared at Zelda in wonder.

“Just return them to me next time,” Zelda said with a grin in her voice. Then, she began to walk away from a very flustered Mary.

Zelda’s words suddenly caught up with her short-circuited brain, which made her frown quizzically.

“Wait _, next time_?” Mary turned and called after Zelda, who just smiled sweetly at her before getting into her car.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading, and as always - comments and kudos are always most appreciated<333 
> 
> (And as for the 'next time' line, it is proven to be very effective. Or, it worked on me at least.)


End file.
